What exactly is Pre-Calculus? Is it necessary to succeed in Calculus?

[ucbalumnus]

An older list of the small number of US schools requiring calculus in high school (some may have changed since then):

What US universities explicitly state that calculus is required or expected for frosh applicants?

Updated, Santa Clara and Carnegie Mellon added: Required for all frosh applicants: Caltech: http://www.admissions.caltech.edu/content/academic-preparation-requirements Harvey Mudd: https://www.hmc.edu/admission/apply/first-year-students/eligibilty/ Olin College of Engineering: http://www.olin.edu/admission/apply/ Required for some frosh applicants: Cornell, Dyson AEM and Engineering: https://admissions.cornell.edu/pdf/freshman-requirements-chart Duke, Pratt School of Engineering: http://admissions.duke.edu/application/overview Recommended for all frosh applicants: Cal Poly SLO, +125 MCA points for each semester (up to four) of advanced math (first two semesters of advanced math are precalculus, third and fourth are calculus): http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=statsp and https://admissions.calpoly.edu/applicants/freshman/criteria.html Kenyon: “ideally up to calculus” “recommended” http://www.kenyon.edu/admissions-aid/how-to-apply/prepar…